Knowing
by leigh.deeA
Summary: Ryo gets a headache. The cause? Who else but Kaho.


Author's note: Thought I'd write something in Ryo's POV. Kaho is here too. Only him and her but it's not about them as an item...no romantic angle...as you will find out while reading...

Summary: Ryo gets a headache. The cause? Who else but Kaho.

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Knowing

Ryo saw the expression on Kaho's face and had to stiffle the groan that wanted to make its escape. With that glazed look of hers and her lips slightly parted, she looked straight out like something from the movies.

_That anyone would ever swoon over Tsukimori like that..._

He actually thought it was funny. Well, almost funny. He hadn't meant to see— he'd live out his life fine without this— but he did and it had been an accident. Accident, he smirked. The word pretty much summed up how he felt about the whole thing. His heart was 50/50 (he groaned at the notion of allowing himself to feel this) but, he knew almost immediately, somehow he'd survive. Because he was already getting used to those "misty looks".

He had to press his fingertips to his forehead, his brows meeting at the middle. At the rate Kaho was going, watching her fall in love was as about the same level as the worst kind of torture. _So slow_ meant he'd have time to stew in the pain.

_This guy was...he was...Len..._

And Ryo had seen _it_. That _look_. And at full force this time, because he had been going to her and not already beside her. The girl he wanted was looking at the guy onstage as if the whole world was poised on the tip of the guy's finger. As if it wasn't hard to play the violin at the same time...

_Why?_

Ryo could describe Len's personality but he didn't understand him. And now as he stood watching Kaho, while she watched Len, he thought maybe she saw something in Len that no one else could see. It was a mystery to him but maybe Kaho had figured Len out...or maybe she hadn't...He told himself there was no way to wrap his brain around it. Whatever it was Kaho felt for Len, it was just there. In that look_._

_What was it about Len... _

He remembered the day she'd said to him that she wanted to chase after Len. He knew that meant wanting to reach Tsukimori's level but he had asked himself if she hadn't meant something more. She wanted to match up with Len but did she also want to _pair_ up with the guy? There was no way he could ask her directly so instead, he'd asked, "Is that all you feel towards him?"

He wanted to hear, in her own words, her true answer. This time, he thought, he would make her say it.

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_What do I feel about Len?_

"What do you mean by that Tsuchiura?"

"Exactly that. What do you feel about him Hino?" Ryo repeated."What does he make you feel?"

Silence followed. "I really don't get what you mean Tsuchiura..."

"Does he make you feel happy?"

_Happy_. Kaho blushed. "I'm not sure I want to understand what you mean..."

"You have to..." Tsuchiura lowered his voice to a whisper, "Because...I..." _I have to hear it from you_. He sighed, took a deep breath and looked at Kaho squarely in the eye, "I don't want to have any more regrets Hino, that's why I want to tell you...You're the person who turned things around for me. I want you to know that. You brought me back to what I've been missing, to what I really wanted. And now..."

_I like you..._

"...I want to return that favor. Hino, listen to me carefully..." He held her by the shoulders, "Is there anything you think you might regret not doing?"

"There's nothing..."

"Are you sure?" He was concentrating hard. He was using all his will for her to catch on- to absorb what he was saying. "Before Tsukimori leaves,aren't you going to tell him?"

"Tell him what?"

He wanted to shake Kaho, see if the pieces in her head would align correctly if he did, because she had to have at least some inkling about her feelings,right? He hadn't noticed he was already gripping her shoulders.

"Hino,listen to me, and I mean really listen." He wanted to hit himself for doing this. He was being such a martyr.

"Do you know that when I'm in class, I look forward to when I might see you?"

Kaho nodded, and then shook her head immediately. Tsuchiura could see the blush on her cheeks but he continued.

"When I run into you and you smile, I wish I could have a day of just running into you and seeing that smile...That would be the best day for me." Now he smiled.

"I want to be around you,be with you..." He closed his eyes as if to draw some courage. He was really going to go through with this."Tell me, do you feel the same way about anyone?"

"Who's the closest person who fits that description, Hino?"

_I..._

My friends. I want to be around my friends. And..._No, no_. It's only because I want to hear him play...She knew how many times she would drift off in class, wanting to fast forward the hours to practice with him. _No_. She had wished she could spend more time with him._No_. It's because I want to improve, I _have to_...that's why... He was leaving, that's the only reason why she thought about him, because, wherever he'd go, she just wanted him to be ok. She just wanted..._ I just...I can't like him like that...I..._

_I just want to hear him play_...

Tsuchiura waited for her reply. And waited...When she bent her head, he let go of her shoulders. He sighed. There was no forcing her if she wasn't had to resolve her feelings on her own. But still, he had to make sure...

"Think about what I said Hino," he said gently. "I mean, really think about it,before it's too late."

His words hung in the air as he turned to leave.


End file.
